Mechanical musical instrument



(No Model.)

O. H. ARNO.

MEUHANIGAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Patented De0.Z6,1882.

UNITED STATES.

OLIVER H. ARNO, OF WILMINGTON, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN AUTO- MATIC ORGAN COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

MECHANICAL MUSICAL lNSTRUMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 269,615, dated December 23, 1882.

Application filed September '7,

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OLIVER 11. Auto of Wilmington, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanical Musical 1nstruments,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to that class of mechanical musical instruments in which the playing is automatically efl'ected by the passage of a strip or sheet of perforated paper or other equivaleutrnusic-sheetthrough theinstrument.

The invention consists in the combination with a reed-board having reeds and cells, of a raceway covered with a sheet of flexible material having openings through it and supported at intermediate points, as more fully hereinafter explained.

The invention further consists of certain other combinations of features, which will be hereinafter explained, and set forth in the claims.

Figure l is a central transverse vertical section from front to rear. Figs. 2 and 4 are plan views with the reed-board removed, and, also, in Fig. 2. with the flexible covering of the raceway broken out at each side thereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view in detail on line 3 3, Fig. 2, but with the reed-board in place. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view in detail along line 5 5, Fig. 4, with the reed-board in place; and Fig. 6, a detail sectional view.

In the drawings, A represents a vertical board, supported at its lower part between two foot boards or pieces, B, one at each end.

O O are two force or feed bellows, both placed at and upon one and the same side'of the vertical board A, and each one at its lower end separately hinged to said board, and both at their upper ends connected by separate crankarms to a common horizontal driving-shaft, 1), turning in bearings of end pieces, E ll, at the upper part of the vertical board A.

a a are air'passages, through the vertical board and opening to each of the feed-bellows G and to a reservoir-bellows, F. This reservoir-bellows F is arranged upon the vertical board at its side opposite to that carrying the feed-bellows, and at its upper end and in the upper end of the vertical board A is a horizontal air-passage, b,opening into a series of air-pas sages, (1, arranged side by side with intervening'partitionsJ', and all opening at their upper ends to a common horizontal raceway, g, for the music-sheet G. The upper part of each air-passage d is enlarged, flaring in two directions toward the sides of the raceway, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, at h. The raceway g, from side to side, is covered with asheet, H, of flexible niaterial-such as india-rubber, leather, &c.-that is secured at; each end and side to the raceway, and between its two ends and sides is left free, and is provided with a series of opening 1, arranged at equal distances apart and corresponding in number and position to the openings (Z and openings at in a reed-board, L, which openings at make communication with a series of reeds, n, in said reed-board and opening to each reed. The reed-board is above said raceway and is fastened in position in any suitable manner by glue or screws, or by both, and this position is such that the music-sheet can pass freely between it and the flexibly-covcred raceway when drawn through an d over the raceway by the feed and presser rollers M N, arranged at the rear end of the instrument.

The feed-roller M is above the presser-roller N, turning in hearings in the upper end pieces, l and is operated by the driving-shaft l) manner, and the presser-roller N at each end is suspended in oneend of spring-arms P, each ofwhich arms at its other end, through an open slot, 0, is attached by a set screw, q, to the upper side of the board A, making the raceway, and is covered by the recess Q, in the reedboard. Each spring-arm P, between its two ends, has a rest and fulcrum upon the raised round head 1* of a pin, s, in a manner to give spring to the arm when it is secured in place by its fastening-screw (1. Each spring-arm P is recessed on its under side, as at t, which recess is of a conical shape to receive the head 0' of its pin-rest, thus holding it against move ment laterally when fastened in position, and the reed-board has openings It through it in proper position for a screw-driver to be used upon the fastening-screws q without necessithrough suitable gearing or in any suitable" tating the removal of the reed-board when itis desired to operate upon said screws to regulate the pressure of the presser-roller upon the feed-roller from the instrument.

Although the recess tin the arm I, when the arm is fastened by its screw q, serves to hold the arm from movement, as described,yet the conical shape of the recess will allow the arm to easily slip over its rest r when the fastening-screw is unscrewed, thereby facilitating the easy removal from and insertion of the presser-roll in the instrument, as desired. At each side of the raceway g is a similar plate, S, secured to the top of the board A, and on which plates the reed-board sits at each end, being secured, as described. These plates S have guide-edges a, which run on an incline in the direction of the travel of the musicsheet over the raceway, and are of a thickness and location to secure the direction and guiding of the music=sheet through the instrument, each plate having also a straight guiding-edge, c, in line with the guiding-edges w of blocks T at each end of the front of the raceway where the music-sheet is entered.

The flexible covering H for the 'aceway'in being supported at intermediate points in its length across from side to side of the raceway is not only held against lagging, but at the same time is free at all times to make most perfect and close contact between it and the music-sheet and the music-sheet and the reedboard in the passage of the music-sheet over the raceway g.

The plates S are cut away at u not only to serve as a guide to the music-sheet to the feedrollers, but also to allow the flexible covering the movement at the holes l nearest the said plates necessary for its close contact at such points with the reed-board.

insuring its close contact at all points to the reed-board, as described.

Having thus described'my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. In a mechanical musical instrument, the combination, with the reed-board having reeds and reed-cells, of the raceway 9, covered with a sheet of flexible material having openings l through it and supported at intermediate points, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a mechanical musical instrument, the flat arms P, carrying the presser-roller N, and attached by set-screws q, and provided with rest-pins s, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a mechanical musical instrument, the combination, with the raceway g for the musicsheet, covered with a sheet of flexible material having openings 1 through it and supported at intermediate points, of the plates S, cut away, as at a. substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. In a mechanical musical instrument, the combination, with the raceway g for the musicsheet, of the blocks T, having guiding-edges m and plates S, each having guiding-edges a and v, substantially as and for the purpose specitied.

5. In a mechanical musical instrument, the flat arms I, carrying presser-rollers N, and having conical-shaped recesses 25, in combination with the round head i" and fastening screws q, substantially as and tor the purpose specified.

6. In a mechanical musical instrument, the combination, with the reed-board having reeds and reed-cells, of the raceway g, covered withv a sheet of flexible material and having openings I through it and supported by the partitions f in the raceway, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

, OLIVER Ii. ARNO.

Witnesses:

EDWIN W. BROWN,

WM. S. BELLows. 

